Computing devices have traditionally communicated with each other using wired networks. However, with the increasing demand for mobile computing devices, such as laptops, personal digital assistants (PDAs), and the like, wireless computing networks have developed as a way for computing devices to communicate with each other through wireless transmission.
Wired networks generally comprise computing devices interconnected by physical cables, such as coax, twisted pair, or fiber optic cabling. A wired computer network can be called a local area network (LAN).
Wireless networks, such as 802.11 wireless networks, generally comprise one or more access points. The access points provide wireless connectivity to the wireless network by accepting connections from wireless devices, such as wireless-enabled laptops, PDAs, cell phones, and the like. Access points identify themselves by broadcasting a service set identifier (SSID). Before an 802.11 wireless device can access an 802.11 wireless network, the wireless device must connect to an access point of the wireless network. In order to connect to an access point, the wireless device exchanges information, such as security information, with the access point and completes the connection. It can take some time to complete the connection process.
Once a wireless device is connected to an access point of an 802.11 network, additional configuration steps may be required before the wireless device can send and receive information, such as email or web pages. For example, the wireless device typically has to obtain an Internet Protocol (IP) address.
Therefore, there exists ample opportunity for improvement in technologies related to connectionless delivery of information in wireless networks.